#Gospelreflection

[mona310]

Sunday Homily: Mark 10:2-16 - "Empowering the Powerless" [27th Sunday] H...

[newprophets]

The Power of Christ’s Resolve A Reflection on John 18

The Power of a Name: Jesus’ Arrest in Gethsemane

Introduction

John 18 opens with a scene that feels like the climax of an epic drama. Jesus and His disciples are in the Garden of Gethsemane, a place of prayer and solace, yet on this night, it becomes the site of betrayal and divine revelation. When a group of soldiers and officials come to arrest Jesus, something extraordinary happens—at the sound of His voice, they fall to the ground. Let’s dive into this moment of divine power and explore what it reveals about the name of Jesus.

The Power in “I Am He”

As the soldiers approach Jesus, He steps forward and asks them, “Whom seek ye?” They reply, “Jesus of Nazareth.” When Jesus answers, “I am he,” the response is electric—literally. The soldiers fall back to the ground, overwhelmed by the power of His words. This moment isn’t just about Jesus identifying Himself; it’s a profound declaration of His divinity. The phrase “I am” echoes the name God revealed to Moses in Exodus 3:14, “I AM WHO I AM.” It’s a statement of authority, power, and identity that leaves no room for doubt.

Fun Fact: The term “I am” used by Jesus is known as the Tetragrammaton, a Hebrew word for God that is considered so holy it’s often not spoken aloud in Jewish tradition. Jesus’ use of this term was a bold affirmation of His divinity.

Reflective Questions:

How do you respond to the authority of Jesus in your life?

When faced with challenges, do you recognize the power in Jesus’ name?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, Your name is above every name, and at the sound of Your voice, all creation bows. Help us to live in the power and authority of Your name, trusting in Your divine strength and guidance in every situation. Amen.

#JesusInGethsemane #PowerOfTheName #DivineAuthority #GospelReflection #ChristianFaith

[milatherese]

Advent is over

True statement. 

But the penitential season never ends. 

Because we dumb humans never stop sinning. (Jk, it’s human to sin; we’re not [all] dumb.)

Of all my years of being an “awake” Catholic, I never really saw Advent as a penitential season until this year when a priest said “This season is a season of repentance” and everything finally clicked. Not that priests in the past never said this but this year was the first time it struck me that Advent really is a penitential season. 

For Advent, I served at Simbang Gabi Masses at a local parish (just to be clear, I’m saying this to show that I was “contracted” to show up to these Masses and I actually had to pay attention, not because I want to brag and say “yep, I woke up hecka earlier than y’all”) and we were blessed with amazing priests. 

Below is a collection of some wisdom I gathered from those Masses:

12/16: Don’t ask dumb questions.

12/17: If God was able to bring His Son from the line of sinners, prostitutes, tyrants, and other types of terrible people, think of how much good He can bring out of us sinners. Also, when you compare Jesus’ genealogy in Matthew to the one described in Luke, the names differ. This shows that it doesn’t matter how you look at it – Jesus is from the line of sinners (something else is missing in this tidbit but I can’t recall rn... it’s 3am)

12/18: It’s not so much that Ahaz didn’t want to tempt the Lord but rather that He doubted that the Lord can make all things possible.

12/19: Have no doubt that God can do impossible things. At the time, a woman (and her husband?) was viewed as cursed by God if she was unable to bear a child. Put yourself in Zechariah’s situation: You’re a priest (aka, you should know God’s voice and when to listen to it), you’re old, you’re wife is old, your family is viewed as a cursed one due to the fact you have no child. (Tbh, I’d doubt I’d be able to have a kid given this situation. But I don’t think I would try to reason with an angel of God. That’s scary.)

12/20: The psalm says “Let the Lord enter; he is the king of glory.” Let Him enter into your heart. Also, compare Mary’s fiat to that of Zechariah. TRUST and be open.

12/21: May we be like Elizabeth and recognize Christ in others.

12/22: Joseph is a hecka crazy good guy. Put yourself in his shoes: you’re 80% married to Mary who is pregnant with a child who is not your own. You have the legal right and ability to round up the city to kill her by way of stoning her to death (as was very common then for situations like this). What would you do? Well, Joseph knew: he loved. He decided to divorce her quietly (aka, no stoning, no yelling “yo she’s a cheater, y’all, don’t marry her!”) even before he was visited by an angel of God on Mary’s situation. And, after finding out what was up with Mary, he still took her into his home, despite the fact that many people today would classify the dream as ridiculous.

12/23: Zechariah’s first words since he had been made mute were of praising God! He easily could have gone “Yo, God made me mute” or “I CAN SPEAK! HELLO!” but, alas, he decided to praise God! 

12/24: 

[angelwing44]

April 13 -Matthew 26:14-25 "My Appointed Time Draws Near"

[bossho30]

a reflection about the parable of the wheat among the weeds

The gospel talks about the parable of the wheat among the weeds! In the parable of Jesus, where the grain and the grass symbolize good and evil, God still allows them both to grow; it's not that he tolerates evil in this world, but it is for the goodness of the wheat. Therefore it shows that our God is a patient God, not quick to judge, is kind and forgiving. 

Remember that there will always be evil in this world, bad things, and bad people we are going to encounter. Still, Jesus tells us and challenges us all to become wheat amid all the weeds; Christians are called to be the light and must manifest goodness and the truth; let us be all missionary and speak up what the Kingdom of God is! Harvest time will come; it's the Day of Judgment where God will separate the good wheat; let us change our wrongdoings and be with God because he will save us with his love and grace!

[angelachaste]

Live Fully. My Jesus, in You I place my hope for a life well lived. Amen. #Kerygmareadings #sabbath #gospelreflections https://www.instagram.com/p/CWxDYdPp_FC/?utm_medium=tumblr

[walkingtowardslight]

Stranger Things

"I’m not sure what can be more nerve-wracking: being the stranger or welcoming the stranger. We’ve all been the stranger. We’ve started new jobs, joined new book clubs, attended a new church, enrolled in a new school, and had drinks with new friends. Being the stranger requires courage because our vulnerability is put on display. And we have the choice to either withdraw or to press through that vulnerability. We need courage to do the latter. There’s also a certain vulnerability demanded of us when we welcome the stranger. We’ve all experienced this, too. We’ve been the veteran employee, the founder of the book club, the lifelong church attendee, and the childhood best friend. We’ve had the opportunity to smile warmly and introduce ourselves. Welcoming the stranger requires bravery as we stand with someone who doesn’t yet feel they belong. And we have the choice to either withdraw or to press through that vulnerability. We need bravery to do the latter. That’s what the Lord is asking of us in today’s Gospel. “Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40) Jesus explains that when we welcome the stranger we are becoming more like Him and working to bring about our salvation. We’re encouraged to match the stranger’s vulnerability by stepping out of our comfort zones for the sake of another. While this certainly encompasses welcoming the stranger on a large scale—those displaced from their homes, those fleeing to a foreign land, those orphaned or widowed—this vulnerability is fostered on a smaller scale. We prepare to be faithful in the big moments by being faithful in the thousand small moments. By welcoming the new person to our workplace, book club, church, school, and friend group—or the unexpected baby, the mentally-ill family member, and the abrasive neighbor—we practice the virtues of courage and vulnerability so that they become second-nature. For it’s only in welcoming the stranger that we truly welcome the Lord into our hearts. Sisters, take some time today and really think about the strangers in your life, both on the large and small scales. Cover every area of your life, walk through every encounter throughout your day. How can you embrace vulnerability and reach out to welcome them? Let’s get uncomfortable together for the sake of Jesus and His Kingdom. Let’s welcome Him in by welcoming one another." - Olivia Spears @ Blessed is She

[lalalakatkat]

Only God can heal your heart. Yay! Thank you God for filling my love tank and for another opportunity to write again. THIS IS FOR YOU & FOR THE ONE WHO'S READING THIS RIGHT NOW! ❤ #feast #GospelReflection #Jesus

[carmelitesaet]

Fifth Sunday of Lent We know the story of the woman caught in the act of adultery so well that we usually miss the fact that it is not only the woman who experiences God’s forgiveness through Jesus in this story. The scribes and Pharisees, out to trap Jesus, parade a hapless woman before the crowd gathered to hear Jesus teaching. We can only imagine her embarrassment as they publicly accuse her of adultery. Noting that the law of Moses says that they should stone the woman to death, they ask what Jesus thinks. Jesus, already seated, bends lower and writes on the ground. What he writes we do not know, but from his ‘lowly’ position Jesus quietly manages to turn the whole situation around. At first he says nothing. When the scribes and Pharisees persist with their question, Jesus simply says, ‘Let the one without sin be the first to throw a stone at her’, and goes back to his writing. We sense that an awkward silence followed before the once threatening scribes and Pharisees seem to just melt away. Jesus’ words seem to touch them deeply and melt away both their harsh attitude towards the woman and their desire to entrap him. Like the woman, they are not condemned by Jesus but restored to right relationship with him and the woman – they no longer want to trap Jesus or harm the woman. They quietly leave. Jesus pronounces forgiveness for the woman and tells her not to sin anymore. The Gospels of the last two Sundays were parables about God’s forgiveness and tender care in nurturing us back to life. In today’s Gospel we see God’s lavish forgiveness in action as Jesus deals with a concrete human situation of life-threatening judgement and condemnation. We are called, not to be judges over others, but practitioners of God’s lavish compassion and mercy. #lent #easter #forgiveness #jesus #gospelreflection #inspirationalquotes #scripture #faith #spirituality #community #carmelites #carmelite #lectiodivina #catholic #christianity #love #mercy #christ https://www.instagram.com/p/Bv6EkVjHWar/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=f7fd9gwdd0g4

[milatherese]

Shalom (a short reflection)

Apparently, three people (as well as a team of people…?) thought this reflection I wrote for last Sunday (& the lil digital lettering) was good enough to share with the world on social media. It was originally posted here, then here, and then got reposted here. So, here I am sharing it with you all here. I hope it's helpful. I'm no scholar or expert but here goes…

These past Sundays we have heard Jesus say “Peace be with you.”⁣ ⁣ Peace is something we seek today. But what is "peace", really? Is it the kind we try to keep when a baby is sleeping? Does "peace" mean "being quiet"? Is it when we keep our thoughts and opinions to ourselves to reduce possible future arguments? Does "peace" mean "silence"?⁣

Peace be with you.⁣ ⁣ The word Jesus used is “Shalom” in Hebrew (or “Schlomo” in Aramaic). Peace be with you. 𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘮. 𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘮 doesn’t exactly translate to “peace” as we know it. Simply reading a few Bible verses on the peace Jesus gives — shalom — shows that it encompasses peace in all aspects of life. “Shalom” means being in “right order” with everything and everyone (Gn 15:15, Is. 57:1, Sir. 1:18, Zc. 8:16, Rm. 8:6, 1 Co. 14:33, 1 P. 3:9-11 ). The greeting “Peace be with you” wasn’t simply a greeting. In saying this, Jesus was putting things in order once again. He was saying “I give you right order.” ⁣ ⁣ Lack of order goes as far back as Gn 1:2. We read a description of Earth before light was created as being “without form or shape” (NABRE). The original text uses the Hebrew words “tohu wa-bohu” which, together, mean “chaos” or “confusion”. The fall of Adam and Eve led to this 𝘵𝘰𝘩𝘶 𝘸𝘢-𝘣𝘰𝘩𝘶 again — original sin. And so we need Someone to restore order — Jesus.⁣ ⁣ In a world where disorder seems to be increasing by the minute, the peace that Jesus gives is what we need most. May we make things right with God, our family, our friends, and our fellowmen. May we each be humble and learn to respect the dignity of every human life. May we know the love of God and be able to share it with others. May we be peacemakers.

[positive-living-4-all]

Gospel Reflection for November 6, 2021

Gospel Reflection for November 6, 2021

[angelwing44]

October 6, 2021 -The Lord's Prayer

[feast-valenzuela-reflections]

God is concern in your life

Jesus summoned his disciples and said, “My heart is moved with pity for the crowd, for they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, for fear they may collapse on the way.”                                                                                                                                       -Matthew 15:34

One time during holy week, My family and I were having the traditional station of the cross. Visiting to churches, praying, reflecting and walking trough the heat weather, we felt thirsty and hungry. My aunt offered us a snack and drinks that refreshes us.

God is not just concern about you, but he pitied you and the reality is he doesn't want to send you hungry, hungry not just in food but in love, he always filled our lives with blessings. Can you breath right now? It's a blessing! The only problem is sometimes PROBLEMS overcomes BLESSINGS, but in order for us to be happy BLESSINGS must overcome PROBLEMS instead!

Friends, from now on, believe that you are surrounded by his blessings, believe that God want to prosper you and give you a bright future. Until you do these things, you will never appreciate God's blessings for you!

 I pray that you will be able to attract those blessings that is stored for you!

                                                                                         God Loves you,                                                                                                              Allen Young                                                           

Image source: www.sacredheartvin.com

[albeth]

#matthew28 #gospelreflection #bible #bibleverse jesus maybe gone in our sightbut not in our lives.

[iamblessed2bless]

No longer I but Christ in Me

Greetings! I wrote this reflection for our Daily Manna about the Gospel for today!! :)

Daily Manna January 3, 2013

Gospel: Jn. 1 29:34

The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.” John 1:33-34

                 Who is Jesus Christ?!

Have you asked yourself who Jesus really is? Do you believe that He's real and He existed before? How did He influence your ancestors and even our leaders in the present? What do you think when you hear His name and the stories of His life? Do you remember the talk about Jesus? Who is Jesus Christ to me??

Those were the questions I asked when I was in my high school years. I was a typical girl who does good things and avoids evil. I and my family would go to church every week. My faith was shallow and I never knew much about God. Before I entered the community I would hear stories/testimonies about Jesus but never understood it deeply. All I knew were the words to describe Him and would not really testify to it. Years passed and I began to journey together with the Lord. I said Yes to Him when I entered YFC. Little by little He revealed His own self to me and changed me slowly. I learned more about Him, had experiences that proved His greatness and struggles that challenged and sharpened me. As I grew more matured it was difficult to leave from the community that nurtured me to grow, inspired me and to be the person I am now.

                   Who is Jesus Christ to me?

Jesus Christ is my SAVIOR, REDEEMER, STRENGTH, HEALER and STRONGHOLD. When I was in college I had a dream. In that dream I was sleeping and also having a dream. Then suddenly I felt a bad feeling like I was being possessed and consumed by a negative energy. I couldn't move my extremities and I started to panic. I felt as though I couldn't breathe and that I asked if I was dead. As I struggled to move and resist the possession, I was praying in my mind. And what woke me up was a song I sang as I lifted my hand.. "Savior He can move the mountains. My God is mighty to save. He is mighty to save.. (Mighty to save by Hillsong)" I woke up and I immediately thank Him for saving me, giving me the strength to fight it and healing me of my brokenness.

Jesus Christ is my FAMILY, BEST FRIEND, SUPPORTER and LOVER. When I feel lonely, empty and alone I run to Him. It's hard to live away from your family and comfort zones. When you feel like you're on your own and that you're close to giving up He would always push me to the limits so that I could do my best in all that I do. When I feel unloved and forgotten, He assures me of His unending love. When all people fail, Jesus stays and will never fail us as long as were faithful and hopeful in His presence through prayer and teachings.

To sum it all, JESUS IS MY EVERYTHING. HE IS MY INSPIRATION, THE SON OF GOD, THE REASON I LIVE, MY PROVIDER, MY KING, OUR GOD and MY LIFE. No words can describe how great and wonderful He is and He's done a lot of things in my life. Truly I am nothing without Christ. My life is full of colors, adventures, mission trips and full of purpose because of Him. I will forever declare and proclaim Your greatness and goodness to the ends of the earth. I love you Lord! Thank you for everything! Praise God! AMEN!

(YFC Vision) Young people being and bringing Christ wherever they are… (SFC Vision) Every single man and woman all over the world experiencing Christ…

So that it is no longer I who lives but it is Christ who lives in Me.

–Galatians 2:20

Laking YFC noon at ngayon Proud SFC!

Praise God!

~SarahKailyn :)

[carmelitesaet]

Lectio Divina for April is now available to download at https://carmelites.org.au/lectiodivina in PDF, ePub and Mobi formats. The practice of Lectio Divina as a way of praying the Scriptures has been a fruitful source of growing in relationship with Christ for many centuries and in our own day is being rediscovered by many individuals and groups. The Word of God is alive and active and will transform each of us if we open ourselves to receive what God wants to give us. Join our Lectio Online group that meets every Friday at 10am Melbourne, Australia Time (Connect from your own time zone after 3 April - Perth/Philippines: 8am; Timor-Leste/Tokyo: 9am; New Zealand: 12pm; Los Angeles: Thursday 5pm; New York/Toronto: Thursday 8pm). Visit https://carmelites.org.au/lectiodivina for more information and to register your interest. #lectiodivina #prayer #scripture #gospel #gospelreflection #meditation #faith #spirituality #jesus #christ #inspirationalquotes #bible #stainedglass #stainedglasswindow #carmelite #carmelites #melbournecatholic #community #mission #australia #timorleste #ourladyofmountcarmel #middlepark #catholic #christianity #peace #hope #love #kingdomofgod https://www.instagram.com/p/CbwhMWHP0yI/?utm_medium=tumblr